The Predestination
by Yawarako
Summary: 040206 Chapter 3 uploaded! Kenshin started as a young monk who hasn't cut out all emotions as all monks should do. All suppressed feelings seem to rise by their own will once he met Kaoru. Could she release him from the invisible cage?
1. The Encounter

This is an AU fic, also a K&K one. However, K&K would be kinda OOC due to their different background. Kenshin hasn't met Hiko yet, and Kaoru wasn't born in a kendo family. I tend to divide this fic into two arcs, but that has to depend on the response I get. Well, that's all. Enjoy!

Summary: Kenshin started as a young monk who hasn't cut out all emotions as all monks should do. All suppressed feelings seem to rise by their own will once he met Kaoru.

Could she release him from the invisible cage? 

**Chapter 1 The Encounter**

There's no other city in Japan that has more temples than Kyoto.

Usually there are hardly any figures would be seen around these temples except for those monks. Today, for the most famous temple in Kyoto, no, in Japan, is another exception.

"Get out of my way, you dirty old beggar. Didn't you see I have to get near the deity?" a middle-aged man dressed like a merchant bellowed. Nudged with elbows mercilessly in the stomach, the poor old man was pushed down to the ground.

"If I could see, I wouldn't come all the way just to get a glimpse of the…ah, child, give this old beggar a hand, will you?" while in complaining, the nearly to blind old man seemed to notice there was a young man standing beside him.

This young man, Himura Kenshin, actually was easy to be mistaken as a girl. For almost each part of his figure could be described as slender. Fragile limbs with pale skin; soft, flaming hair pulled in a high pony tail. On his near-to-perfect face stood an ugly slash of scar, which was the only flaw of his appearance.

At first sight, it was hard to decide how old this young "man" really was, considered his stature. But once taking a look at his eyes, one would found he could hardly breathe under that intense gaze. The malice held inside those unusual gold pupils was far could be comprehended by a teenager, which only confuses viewers more judging from his monk's attire. 

_What kind of tragedy happened to this little monk so unbearable that he still couldn¡¦t wipe out the hatred he carried, even if after staying in the temple for such a long time?_

Two finely shaped eyebrows drew together. Kenshin asked instead of answering, "What were those people excited about?"

"Shouldn't you help me get up first? Seriously, nowadays these teenagers think too much of themselves…alright, alright, I'll tell you! Ju…just let me take a breath," seeing Kenshin was about going away, the old beggar used all the strength he could manage to grab Kenshin's leg, making him stay. But if the old man could see how Kenshin's eyes flickered, maybe he would decide against that.

Taking several deep breaths, to which Kenshin rolled his eyes, the old man started. "Kamiya Megumi the deity had been known as possessing a great healing power from the day she was born. Her power is so great that with only one touch, she could make a fester, which no prescription issued by famous doctors could cure, disappear right away," at this, the old beggar sighed. 

"As you could see, young lad, my eyes are nearly blind. I was hoping I could get near the deity, to let her take care of my eyes. But from the look of things going, I guess I have to live the rest of my life with these useless eyes." the old beggar said dejectedly.

"I can help you," said a calm, even cold voice. Seeing the old man raised his head, surprised, Kenshin continued. "I have nothing to do today anyway." Turning around, he made a pose to help the old man up.

"Thank you, young man, thank you very much! It's very nice of you to help such a poor old man. Kami sama would let you get what you deserved!" Recovered from the shock, the old man's mouth filled with compliment, only without kowtowing.

Holding the old beggar's side under shoulder, Kenshin murmured darkly, "If you know what my real intention is, you would think twice before thanking me."

He never believed in anything in this world connected with so called "God". Not even these years staying in the temple could make him paid any respect of those statues. At one night in many years ago, he had abandoned any concern for human beings or god. Almost in his every waking minute, he was thinking about escaping from this temple, these people. 

Actually, he didn't care about any single word of the rumors told by the old fool. If there's really such an existence in this world, he'd really like to know what kind of treat he deserved to get… at this he sneered. But if this "deity" could gather such a crowd, he guessed it won't hurt just to pay a visit to this idol of Kyoto people's minds, right?

They tagged along the crowd, only were pushed by more people behind them. Just when Kenshin got impatient and decided to push his way through, he heard of girl's voices talking.

"Young Miss, you should really let Yoko deal with that old bald monk! How could they let Miss Megumi walk through the main entrance while we have to condescend to this back door? Who do they think they are?" a high-pitched voice complained loudly.

"Yoko, there's no need to be so upset about that. I think the back door is fine. This way, we won't have to push through the crowd." another female voice answered softly. 

The voice made Kenshin stop. He didn¡¦t know why, but he felt a strong force compelled him to turn around and take a look at the owner of this voice.

What he saw was nothing but a girl with an emaciated look. Although her face was covered by a piece of veil, he could almost see the vein under uncovered skin. And if it was not for the maid, Yoko, holding her there, she looked like a gust of wind could blow her away. At this, Kenshin humphed. What things could this girl do? She could barely stand by herself.

He was about to resume pushing through the crowd, when the old man decided to interrupt at this moment. "Ah, is this young miss the famous deity? What a pleasant voice she has."

"No, didn't you hear their conversation? She is that woman's sister. Besides," here Kenshin smiled sardonically, "I doubt how this lady could heal people. In my opinion, she should be the one who needs curing."

Without hesitance, Yoko jumped forward to defend for her miss, "How dare you insult my miss! And by what dare you use that degrading way to address…"

"Don't be rude, Yoko. He wasn't wrong, I really am not Megumi neesan, and I indeed don't have that healing power. What this young monk said is truth." The veil-faced girl reprehended the maid. Although her voice remains light and soft, the authority carried in it can't be ignored.

Hearing that, Kenshin observed this "young miss" with more interest. Now that she stood nearer to him, he found something he didn't notice at first sight. Her raven hair, which was arranged in a simple hairdo, swayed like willow in the breeze. Compared with her pale face, her hair seemed used up the rest of energy left in her body. 

But what really caught his attention were her eyes. Under the blazing sunlight, her eyes were like the kaleidoscope once he had a chance to play. There seemed to be a stream of indigo swimming inside those bottomless black pupils. While she looked no older than a teenage girl, her eyes spoke more than that.

Those eyes conveyed nothing but a kind of unconditional forgiveness, and there was a plain peaceful aura around her. No ecstasy, no suffering, jus…plain peace.

Seeing this, Kenshin suddenly had a strong will to destroy that satisfaction. He wanted to know how those eyes would scrunch under merciless pain. 

Pain, yes that's all he had known in his 15-year experience living in this world. He wanted to know if this young girl will still carry this satisfaction with her once she learned to know the inhuman pain he had gone through…

Kaoru returned his intense gaze with unwavering one. She could feel the savaged aura carried by this young monk from a mile away. However, she wasn't surprised of this contradiction, nor was she intimidated by his "unfriendly" stare. After a long silence, she decided she should be the one to warm up the situation first.

"Nice to meet you," she bowed, in her usual slow tone. "I'm Kamiya Kaoru, the younger daughter of the Kamiya family. Kamiya Megumi is my elder sister."


	2. The Fire

Hello, it's me again. Sorry for the delay. As you know English isn't my native language, I had to spend double of time to write this fic out. So if you have any comment, feel free to tell me. Constructive comments are most welcome!

Warning: Have I mentioned this fic is heavily DARK, ANGST, not to mention OOC before? *nodding head* No? Well you're warned now. And good (?) news here! This fic would change rate from PG13 to R, immediately. Amazing, isn't it? Well I sometimes impress on myself with my fickle mind. Ok, that's all. On with the story!

**The Predestination**

**Chapter2  The Fire**

"Nice to meet you," she bowed, in her usual slow tone. "I'm Kamiya Kaoru, the younger daughter of the Kamiya family. Kamiya Megumi is my elder sister."

##########################################

"Ah, indeed, now I remember you. You're the other Kamiya girl, who have never left your house for once in your life. It's said that you was born with some unnamed disease, there were no doctors could do anything about it." Said the old man excitedly.

"Yes, that's me. Ojisan really has good memory." Kaoru smiled, clear eyes twinkling.

Complimented by such a warm voice was the first time for the old beggar, he couldn't help but square his shoulder proudly and look straight to Kaoru. While trying hard to widen his long-abandoned eyes and get a better look of her, the blinding sunlight projected from the back of Kaoru made him feel dizzy. Therefore, he didn't know if it's his eyes playing trick on him or else, but this Miss Kaoru, bathed in the sunlight with such a sincere smile, is really familiar…

"I really don't get it," said Kenshin indifferently, shattered the old man's musing. "if your family have done so much charity, why would you have such a disease? Don't they say 'There is justice in this world.'?"

Hearing this, Kaoru merely smiled again. Instead of answering, she turned her head to Yoko, "Take this ojisan to Megumi-nechan, I'll see you around."

"But…"Yoko's protest was stopped by Kaoru's stern gaze. Her young miss could be really stubborn sometimes.

"Alright, you old beggar, let's let Miss Megumi see if she could do anything for you." While taking the old man form Kenshin, Yoko murmured indignantly. _Ohhh__, that smell._

After watching them stumbling away, Kaoru refocused her gaze on Kenshin. "Could you show me the way in? I'm sorry I don't know how to address you."

"Himura." Kenshin grunted. Without further explanation, he turned to walk towards the temple.

############################################

They walked through corridors in silence until Kenshin decided to speak, 

"You still haven't answered my question." his eyes looking straight in front of him.

"I don't think my illness is some kind of punishment, if that's what you meant." Kaoru replied calmly. 

"And neither my family's help towards those in need was done expecting any return."

There she goes again. From the moment he saw her, she is always like this.

No asking, no complaining. Is she really that satisfied with what she has?

Without warning, he whirled around sharply, startling Kaoru.

"Do you want to know what I think of your family? I think your family are all hypocrites," He started shortening the distance between them, leaving Kaoru no choice but step back until her back was pushed against the wall. _Disgusting, disgusting! What would a girl who has never left her little shelter know? Who does she think she is?_

"Since your great sister is a deity, why hasn't she tried to cure your nameless disease?" By now, his face was only several centimeters away from Kaoru's. His nostrils were filled with the smell of herbal medicine. Seeing the expression of Kaoru's eyes became uncertain for the first time, Kenshin grinned, satisfied.

What is this throbbing pain in her head? She was sure she didn't feel it until she arrive this temple.

Now the drumming in her head seemed dramatically unbearable with Kenshin's nearness. She was only standing by her will. 

"Himura kun, I believe you've heard the ojisan's words. I was born with this disease." She answered weakly. "Every one has his own destiny. If it's god's wish that I have this disease, then I have to accept it."

Hearing this, Kenshin's grin disappeared without a trace. He couldn't help but grab her wrist with a brutal force, earning a whimper from Kaoru. "Destiny you said? Do you know why I have to stay this temple? It's all because one good-for-nothing fortune teller said that I was the demon reincarnate, that I would eventually kill everyone." At this, he increased the force of his grasp. "And my ignorant parents who were originally shocked by this," he raised a lock of his hair. "actually believed that wretched fraud's words." He chuckled, but there was no mirth in his eyes. "After that they couldn't stand the pressure from their neighborhood anymore, so they decided to kill me instead." He smiled bitterly at Kaoru's surprised gasp. 

He could still remember that night clearly, the jumping light of firebrands held by people around him; the wild look on his father's face; and the tear-streaked one of his mother's. He closed his eyes painfully. "Is it my destiny to be imprisoned in this damn temple? Is it my destiny to be betrayed by my own parents? Do I have to accept all this bunch of shit? Do I? _Do I?!" Damn this woman! Ever since she showed up, all seeds of evil intention inside of him seemed have been activated by their own. And now he even told her his long-forgotten past which he had buried deep inside of his memory._

While looming over her, Kenshin's face was surround with the shadow. Only a bundle of faint sunlight cast on his left cheek, emphasizing the scar.

_He…has been betrayed by his own parents? Maybe that's why he has become so cynical. And this scar…she held out her free hand, touching Kenshin's cheek feather lightly making him stiffened. _must___ be the evidence of that tragedy. "This must hurt you very much." Unwittingly, she breathed out those words._

"Hurt?" Kenshin laughed hoarsely. "what do you know about hurt? You never really see how dirty this world is." And he has seen so much, the betrayal of his own blood, the dirty business of this temple's monks. They think their little dirty tricks were really that seamless? That because of the abbot had taken him, the demon incarnate in, no one would notice they were making opium under cover? Well, let's just say he couldn't just let his life pass him by uselessly in this backyard. That's why he especially hates those whose deeds don't accord with their words. That's why the existence of this woman only gets on his nerves. 

"The way you felt hatred is natural," Kaoru spoke breathlessly. "Being a human, it's natural to have such emotions. But you could change. You don't have to be plagued by the miserable memory for the rest of your life."

"Change? Now you really sound like a naïve girl. Don't you understand? They don't care how I behave. It's my existence they want to deny. They don't want me at the first place."

He has seen Megumi the deity once from a distance. By then, he only felt disgusted by the crowd that worshiped her. But now he really wants to ruin this girl in front of him. 

"You know what? Compared with your great sister, I think you're more like the deity." he narrowed his eyes dangerously. "What do you think people would say if I take the deity's virginity right now, right here?" Golden pupils shone eerily in the shadow. "Let's see if you could still be that content with your lot." He tore Kaoru's veil violently and tossed it away, revealing a pale face. Due to Kaoru's poor health, it's hard to tell whether she is pretty or not. Even if she is, her emaciated look had lessened her beauty quite pitilessly. The only feature on her face that could be called pretty was the pair of her eyes. They were deep and doe-like, bespeaking her wit and innocence.

He isn't that inexperienced as most would think. He has seduced several females who came to this temple to pay their respects. He was meant to let them see, let all of them see how this abandoned sinner could destroy this "sacred" place of Buddha. Dipping his head, he ruthlessly ravished Kaoru's lips, and then stopped, grinning at her helpless wide eyes. While staring down on her, he noticed her face was coated with cold sweat. Her face was so pale that it became tinged with slight green. 

_How would he want this kind of woman?_

But he just couldn't stop himself. Her lips were tender and sweet that left him in a trance. One of his hands snaked inside her clothes, tasting her soft and smooth skin. The other one remained holding both of her wrists between their bodies. Her unique scent of damsel made him lost, arousing his desire. Now he really wants her.

_Even if she is only a sick woman!_

Pinned against wall, Kaoru could do nothing but use her wrists, which were the only obstacle between their scandalously close bodies, to push him uselessly. Kenshin's aura hung around her heavily, leaving her no space to breathe. 

The drumming pain in her head seemed to spread around her body, making her vision blurry. Just when she thought she would pass out, Kenshin was suddenly hit by the head. Unprepared for this, he could do nothing but fell on her body powerlessly. 

"Well, well, lookie here. Two little lovebirds are making out. Haven't your parents told you that it's no good to do such dirty things in temples?" one burly man who carried a giant sword on his shoulder sneered, several his fellows roared with laughter. Then the boy's body was kicked mercilessly aside.

Kaoru was stunned at first. She couldn't quite react to the change of events. These muscular men were all armed with weapons. Their faces were covered with dust like they were just returned from a long journey.

"It's a girl." One of them pointed out, sizing Kaoru up, then he frowned at her sick look. "She looks… ok. How come she's thinner than a bamboo?" he made an attempt to grab Kaoru's arm. This brought her to the reality. She dodged the man's hairy hand quickly and burst out a fit of violent coughing. 

"You…" she dodged again, moving to Kenshin's side. His head had been broken. Blood was running from the wound. She hurried to press at the wound with her sleeve, making the fine cloth soaked with blood immediately. "What do you want?" Ashen faced, Kaoru managed to squeeze out those words. Her body couldn't stop the trembling from the shock.

"Look at her. Aren't you afraid she has some noxious disease?" the man who spoke first stopped others who still hadn't given up. "Go to find the deity! Burn this temple down. No witness would be left! As to this boy…dump him to the well." The men yelled approval and then sprinted to action.

Kaoru watched horrified at them. She screamed without thinking, "Help! Somebody h…" she was stopped by being knocked to the wall. A trickle of blood flowed from the corner of her mouth. In her blurry vision, she noticed Kenshin's being dragged like a rag to the well. "Himura kun!" she cried, rushing to the well to hold his hand in the last minute, stopping his unconscious body from falling. Even if he had just been… "impolite" to her, still he shouldn't be treated like this.

"Why are you doing this? Has this temple's people done something offend you? Why do you want to kill them?" she spoke, a trace of anger in her voice. She sensed a light burning smell, and knew those men had started the mission. _What could she do to protect people from getting hurt?_

She felt scared as well as angry. Angry at herself has never left her house. Now she couldn't think of anything to save this young monk. 

"Why? Because I feel happy to do this, of course." He gazed at Kaoru, speaking at ease. His fellow have all scattered around leaving him here. He suddenly felt an urge to tease this fragile girl. Glancing at Kenshin, he was reminded that there was once said a boy who is the demon incarnate lived in the temple. "If he's the demon incarnate then what am I? The king of Hell?" He muttered. 

His gaze suddenly hardened, cutting his giant sword into the well, he bellowed out at Kaoru. "I'm telling you, little missy. The kind of person I hate most in my life is someone like you. I didn't come here to hear your lecture." Here he lowered his voice, "however, I could offer you a deal here: if you let go of this boy's hand, I'll spare you a life. Otherwise, you'll both be dead. What do you say about it?"

"No! I'll never let go!" Baffled by the man should offer this kind of deal, despite the fact that she was gradually being dragged into the well as well, Kaoru spoke in a trembling voice, "How could you be happy by killing people? They're human like you! Do you know how many people would be sad if you kill just one?"

"Shut up! Living in this world you only have two choices, either kill others or be killed. If you have question with that, then come to kill me first! I'll ask you one last time: you let go or not? If you don't then I have to cut your hands down!"

Shaking her head vigorously, Kaoru uttered nothing but increase her hold on Kenshin, her knuckles turning white.

The man suddenly smirked, "Ow, isn't our little missy afraid here? Don't you worry, after cutting yours down, I'll cut your little boyfriend's as well. So that you won't be able hold hands even in the hell, ha ha ha…"

Biting her lower lips, Kaoru fought back her tears. She was indeed a little afraid, afraid that she wouldn't be able hold Kenshin there once her hands got cut down.

The man's laughter finally died down, and Kaoru closed her eyes as she saw the sword being lifted and swung towards her hands…

With only a blink, the young boy hang by the well suddenly leapt out borrowing Kaoru's forces, pushing her away with another the hand in the process.

Kaoru gasped, being pushed to the ground. She raised her head, watched Kenshin uncertainly.

Kenshin paid her no heed. He just stared the burly man coldly. A new bloody scar on his left cheek completed a cross. "I owe you nothing now, woman. Get out of here as soon as you can."

He didn't lose his consciousness completely in the past several minutes. He just lost his strength temporarily. If it weren't for Kaoru, he would've fallen to the hard bottom of the well. He owed her this once.

"I wouldn't care even if you want to kill all the monks in this temple, but you shouldn't kill me." Like a wounded beast, he wiped the blood on his cheek away. His golden eyes never left the man's. "now it's time to pay back your mistake."

The man was shocked at first, but he quickly gathered his wits and swung the sword at him. Kenshin stood right there, kicking up an axe left by other bandits. Without dodging, he let the sword cut into his shoulder at the same time as the axe split the burly man in half.

"No!" Kaoru cried, but covered her mouth in time stopping herself from vomiting.

"Are you afraid? He was right. It's either you kill or be killed. Does it disgust you? Then go ahead, throw your heart out. See if your conscience along could let you live." He stared at her. It was hard to tell whose blood was on his face.

She returned his gaze with teary one. Her whole body was trembling like a leaf in the wind.

He narrowed his eyes, "why did you save me? You could just let go of me."

"I…Every one would do the same thing under that circumstance."

"Even if it wasn't me you were saving?"

"Yes…"

"Damn it!" he spat out angrily. He was angry at himself. _Why did he even want to ask her! _"What are you still staying here for? Do you want to be burned to death?"

"Burn…the people!" she called out, struggling to stand up.

"You want to save those people? By you?" he asked her incredulously. While contemplating her words, he got angrier and angrier. What she really meant was that whoever got into this kind of situation, she would save him none the less.

Just then, he had fantasized that she would save him because it was "him". Never in his fifteen-year life had he met someone who would go this far for him. But to her, it's all the same. For him, she would throw her life away; for others, she would do it anyway. Such a theory made him upset with no reason.

"Watch out!" he suddenly yelled, throwing the axe, slashing a bandit running towards her.

She gasped, watching the man twitch one last time.

"How do you save those people? You would only get killed once you got in."

"I…" she couldn't retort. Now she really hates herself for having undergone no martial training before.

"I could save them for you." Kenshin suddenly said, gazing at her calmly. "But only on one condition."

"Which is?" she asked breathlessly, looking at him with wide eyes.

"You must promise to give your life to me. Wherever and whenever it would be, once I order, you'll have to come with me." He held her gaze, the intensity in his eyes was frightening.

It was only a moment before she nodded firmly, "Hai. I promise you."

Kenshin couldn't help but sneered at her response. "Is it so called the 'benevolence'? Then you indeed bring it into full play. You could die for anyone, promise anything." He grabbed her wrist. "Follow me. If you still want to walk out this fire safely, you'd better stay with me. Now I want you to watch closely. This would be the first and the last good deed I'd do in my life. Only for you, Kamiya Kaoru. From now on, your life is mine." With that, he pulled her into the burning hall.

In that troubled year, he was fifteen, and she was fourteen. Unbeknownst to them, two people who never in their life could have any connection with each other had crossed their path from that fateful moment.

TBC

Special thanks: H.E.R., marstanuki, omochi, Val, Sabrina-star, Chiki, Chiruken, Leigh, Rekka's Angel, Emerald Eyes, thank you for all the support you gave me. You guys are the best! *hugs*

Chiki-chan, you wouldn't mind if you let me know your e-mail? I'll tell you more about myself. ^_^


	3. The Reunion

**The Predestination**

Chapter 3 

The reunion

Ten years later

In the outskirts of Kyoto, a little stand was shadowed under a flourishing banyan which was very pleasant in this sweltering summer weather. Several travelers were sitting on the scattered benches, lazily exchanging the recent rumors in capital to pass the unbearably hot noon. 

"I just came back from my cousin's place. You'd better not to go to the downtown these days. They said Battousai appeared again. He's killed five people in this month." a middle-aged man said to other travelers. At the mention of Battousai, everyone seemed to be wakened up from the lulling heat. 

"Nah, don't you worry pal. I heard that he only killed rich people, you're out of his list." someone mocked. Several people laughed.

"You have no idea how those people die," the middle-aged man defended. "After he killed his target, he disappeared right away, and let his followers do whatever they want with the family left. Women were rapped, children were mercilessly killed. Anywhere they showed up, the place would soon to be the hell on earth." the man couldn't help but shudder at the thought. The laughter had long ceased while the man was talking, instead, an uneasy tension was filled in the air of the small stand. 

Everyone knew what the man said was true, but they were afraid to face the reality. Rumors about Battousai and his men were thrown everywhere in the past few months. Each rumor about how he and his men treated their target was only getting more and more ghastly. People in Kyoto were all afraid that they'd be the next. However, according to the local official's tracking since Battousai showed up, it did seem that he only picked those rich people as his goal. 

"Well, at least he seems to be honorable enough to rob only those arrogant, wealthy businessmen." a young man in his early twenties interrupted the silence. He got nothing to lose even if Battousai had decided to strike him, albeit that he did want to experience women's warmth once before his death.

The owner of the stand just continued his work wordlessly. Taking orders absentmindedly from other customers who didn't take part in the conversation. He had listened to all his customers talking about this Battousai for a month. He wondered if he had memorized those horrible stories already. Sometimes when he didn't have enough customers to exhaust himself, he would have those nightmares at the nighttime. All of them reconstructed the stories he heard. So vivid were the nightmares that even he— the most well-informed man in this town as he secretly prized himself— couldn't stop shaking furiously at the mere thought of those cruel scenes. 

_Maybe he should after all suggest Kaoru-san to stop selling tofu for a period of time, just to be safe. The middle-aged man, owner of the stand, started to contemplate. __She would not be able to fight back with her frail body, and Battousai wasn't famous for his mercy. _

Kaoru-san had just moved to his neighborhood for two years. Judging from her behaviors and manners, she ought to be from the high class. Yet she didn't have any servants, lived alone in this nameless town, and her clothes were made of crude cloth. She started to sell tofu since her arrival, but due to her small strength, she couldn't use the mill easily. Thus when she finished the tofu, it was near the noon. However, she loved to share with the little she had. Everyone in the town had drawn to her for her kindness and true sincerity. So they were eager to help her instead, and he was one of them. He tried to help her indirectly, which means by asking her to sell all her left tofu everyday to him. She seems to understand it was a shy way from this widower to help her, for she only smiled, and bowed to thank him. Not that he had any bad ideas about her, but maybe, just maybe one day she would consider about him, and decided that he might not be a bad person to spend life with.

Meanwhile, the discussion was still going on. 

"I wonder how this Battousai looks like?" the former young man threw out this question unexpectedly.

"Baka! Whoever saw him was killed immediately. How could you know what he looks like if there's no witness_ left_?"

"Iie. There was indeed some description about his appearance." the middle-aged man spoke. "It was said that Battousai has quite a small frame, with peculiar red hair and a long scar on the left side of his face like this…" he paused in demonstrating how the scar goes from his cheek to jaw, stupefied. Everyone including of the shopkeeper turned to look in the line of his sight curiously.

Unwittingly, just during their conversation, a stranger came in with his two young satellites. He sat in the furthest corner from the center of the conversation, drinking quietly. One of the boys he brought kept fingering a long object covered in black cloth. The stranger was dressed in black attire, like his two companions. Although the stand was sheltered from the sun, the stranger still wore a leaf hat which covered half of his face. However it wasn't hard to tell he was smirking by how his lips lift. A scar could be seen clearly on his left cheek.

"…and there were always two boys by his side." The middle-aged man finished weakly, pointing his fingers tremblingly at the stranger. He opened and closed his mouth several times, but nothing came out of his mouth. All of other customers inside of the stand were petrified in a dead silence. No one except the trio dared to move fearing for the upcoming storm.

"Tomosake-san, I brought your tofu here." a mezzo soprano rang, shattering the uneasiness. Like the spell was broken, everyone suddenly sprang to move. The middle-aged finally found his voice, "Battousai!!"

A woman dressed like a common farm girl stood by a cart, looking puzzled by all people scrambling out of the stand. She was very slim, even gaunt. It was hard to imagine she could push the heavy cart by herself. Her face didn't wear the usual blush after exercising but an unhealthy paleness. Beads and beads of perspiration dangled on her delicate jaw and nose. The only feature on her face that could be called charming was her eyes. They held peace and solemnity even when they were confused right now.

"Kamiya-san, don't come over here. It's Battousai, he'll kill you!" yelled Tomosake the shopkeeper, but then hollered in pain when his right ear was peeled from its original place. The boy who had been fingering an object revealed that it was a sword, and the said sword was dripping with the shopkeeper's blood. However, the stranger in black still didn't say a word and drank his sake calmly.

"Tomosake-san!" the woman cried, hurrying in the stand, and knelt beside the bleeding man. She quickly tore her sleeve to bandage the man, and then lifted her face to stare at the stranger. "Why did you do this?"

The stranger slowly removing his hat finally looked at her for the first time. A pair of stunning golden eyes widened a bit at surprise but soon became as cold as before. "It's been a long time, Kamiya Kaoru."

Kaoru was taken aback by how familiar the man looked. Suddenly it struck her, "It's you, Himura-san. You're the Battousai."

"Yes, I've been called by that these days." the man mocked, "So do you regret that you saved this villain's life now? Because of you, dozens and dozens of lives were taken by these two hands." Raising his hands, he stared intently at her. His gaze held hers, penetrated her.

"Yes, I do regret." Golden eyes flickered with unknown emotion. "But I regret that I didn't stay by you those years. It must be very hard for you to earn a living by yourself." She hadn't seen him since that day. They were separated when people rushed out of the temple. She was spotted by her loyal maid and was taken away quickly from the racket. After that day, lots of things happened to her family. She thought of him several times, worrying if he'd be ok. But she had never imagined that she would meet him in this situation after ten years.

The man sniffed, "Ever the hypocrite." Then he stood up, "So are you ready to fulfill your promise and come with me?" it wasn't a request, but a notice. _Her image never occurred to him since that day, he told himself. _But if he sees her now, there's no way he'd let her slip away from him again.__

The shopkeeper decided to speak that moment, "No! Kaoru don't go with him. He's a beast; you don't know what he'd do to you." He covered his wound with his hand, ashen-faced and shaking from head to toe.

Battousai glanced at the boy with the sword, and the boy slid into an attacking stance.

"I'd suicide, if you do anything harmful to this man." Kaoru stood, determination in her eyes, "I'll go with you." She said quietly, ignoring the protesting man beside her.

"Good." Battousai turned to leave, followed by his two satellites. "Let's go."

"Kaoru, don't go." The shopkeeper grabbed her leg with both hands, hating himself for being so weak. The blood soaked the cloth in red, opposite to his pale face.

Kaoru knelt down again to loose his hold, "Gomenasai, Tomosake-san. If it weren't me, you wouldn't get hurt. Please take care of yourself, and take my money to see a doctor. Don't worry, he wouldn't hurt me." 

With that she walked out of the stand to the mysterious man and unknown future, never looking back.

TBC

A/N: Sorry for the short chapter. But if I don't get this out, I probably never will. Please leave your review so I know what you think. I've been thinking about whether Kenshin should meet up with Hiko. Oh well, let's just wait and see if that's really necessary. Thank you for your patience. 'Till next time.


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